The Amilcar was a French automobile manufactured from 1921 to 1940.
54-478: Amilcar was founded in July 1921 by Joseph Lamy and Emile Akar. The name "Amilcar" was an imperfect anagram of the partners' names. The business was established at 34 rue du Chemin-Vert in the 11th arrondissement of Paris . However, Amilcar quickly outgrew their restricted city-centre premises, and during the middle part of 1924 the company relocated to Saint-Denis on the northern edge of the city. The original Amilcar
108-648: A 200,000 French francs government prize. Dreyfus also scored a victory in the Ecurie Bleu Type 145 at Pau in 1938, using the model's fuel economy to beat the more powerful Mercedes-Benz W154 . Another Type 145 finished third in the same race. These victories combined with French patriotism ensured demand for Delahaye cars up until the German occupation of France during World War II . In early 1940, 100 Type 134N and Type 168 chassis were built and bodied by Renault as military cars under contract for
162-597: A 4-cylinder, ohv 2150 cc engine supplied by Delahaye . There was also a competition version of the Pégase with a 2490 cc (14CV) engine. By October 1935, the smaller Amilcar models having been discontinued, the Pégase, produced under much reduced circumstances at premises in Boulogne-Billancourt , was the only Amilcar model listed. Recognising the impossibility of sustaining the Amilcar business with
216-475: A few hundred produced. The acquisition of Amilcar by "Sofia" in 1933 did not in itself resolve the financial pressures. At the end of August 1934, still faced with disappointing sales volumes, the factory at Saint-Denis closed for the last time, as management struggled to save the business. A new model was clearly needed and in October 1934 the company presented the new 2-litre (12CV) Amilcar Pégase powered by
270-505: A former hydraulic machinery plant owned by the Morane family. Charles Weiffenbach was made operations manager. The company initially produced three models at this location: the 1.4 litre single-cylinder Type 0, and the twin-cylinder Type 1 [ fr ] and Type 2. All three had bicycle-style tiller steering, rear-mounted water-cooled engines, automatic valves, surface carburetors , and trembler coil ignition ; drive
324-474: A new, higher quality, and considerably sportier automotive-chassis line, with an appealingly distinctive appearance, improved horsepower, better handling, and a higher price-point. Delahaye was repositioned to appeal to a wealthier, younger, more sporting oriented customer base. Varlet was instructed to establish both the new drawing office, and the racing department, neither of which Delahaye ever had before. Weiffenbach hired Jean François, as Varlet's assistant, and
378-774: A racing department in 1932, the company came to prominence in France in the mid-to-late 1930s, first with the International record-breaking Type 138; then, the Type 135 that famously evolved into the special short-wheelbase sports-racing Type 135CS; followed by the V12 types 145 and 155 racecars. Many races were won, and records set. The company faced setbacks due to the Second World War, and was taken over by amalgamation with arch competitor Hotchkiss in 1954. Both were absorbed by
432-522: A single model, but unsure of how to finance or produce another, management turned to Hotchkiss which had recently taken a large shareholding in "Sofia", Amilcar's holding company. Hotchkiss had problems of their own at this time, their hugely lucrative armaments business having recently been nationalised by the left-wing Blum government , while their middle-market automobile business was under increasing pressure as volume automakers became more effective in pushing their own ranges upmarket with models such as
486-479: A slow start, and although it was launched in October 1937, 584 of the 681 passenger cars produced date only from 1939, with a further 64 produced during the early months of 1940, before the German invasion of May/June 1940 effectively ended civilian automobile production in the Paris region. Production prototypes for an upgraded Compound with an OHV 1340 cc engine were running by the summer of 1939, and this version
540-417: A spare tyre/wheel), providing seating for no more than two people and powered by an engine of not more than 1100 cc. Once a vehicle exceeded these limits it ceased to be a cyclecar and was instead officially designated a voiturette . The 4-cylinder, 903cc Amilcar CC appeared in 1922, with a wheelbase of just 2,320 mm (91 in). The CC subsequently became available in two further versions;
594-514: A takeover of Delahaye by Hotchkiss, after which Hotchkiss promptly shut down Delahaye car production. By the end of 1954, after a brief period selling trucks with the Hotchkiss-Delahaye nameplate, the combined firm was itself taken over by Brandt . By 1956, the brands Delahaye, Delage, and Hotchkiss were no longer in use. From its incorporation, Delahaye remained a private, entirely family-owned company, until it closed its doors for
SECTION 10
#1732801395012648-614: Is a person born in a foreign country not having French citizenship at birth. An immigrant may have acquired French citizenship since moving to France, but is still considered an immigrant in French statistics. On the other hand, persons born in France with foreign citizenship (the children of immigrants) are not listed as immigrants. Delahaye Delahaye was a family-owned automobile manufacturing company , founded by Émile Delahaye in 1894 in Tours , France. Manufacturing
702-488: Is referred to as le onzième ( [ɔ̃zjɛm] ; "the eleventh"). The arrondissement, called Popincourt, is situated on the right bank of the River Seine . It is one of the most densely populated urban districts of any European city. In 2020, it had a population of 144,292. It is the best-served Parisian arrondissement in terms of number of Métro stations, at 25. Its borders are marked by three large squares:
756-573: The 134N , a 12 cv car with a 2.15-litre four-cylinder engine, and the 18cv Type 138 , powered by a 3.2-litre six-cylinder engine – both developed from their successful truck engines. In 1935, success in the Alpine Trial led to the introduction of the sporting Type 135 "Coupe des Alpes". By the end of 1935, Delahaye had won eighteen minor French sports car events and a number of hill-climbs , and came fifth at Le Mans . In 1936, Delahaye ran four 160 hp (120 kW; 160 PS) cars (based on
810-620: The 1896 Paris–Marseille–Paris race, and the 1897 Paris–Dieppe race, followed in 1898 by the Marseilles–Nice rally, the Course de Périgeux, and the Paris–Amsterdam–Paris race. Delahaye's automotive company was incorporated in 1898 with investors George Morane – who had driven one of Delahaye's cars in the Marseilles–Nice rally – and Morane's brother-in-law Leon Desmarais. The company moved its manufacturing from Tours to Paris, to
864-557: The Amilcar C4 was a slightly longer sports car, while the CS, introduced in 1924, was a brisker sports version with the engine size increased to 1004 cc. The side-valve engine had splash lubrication , and came with a three-speed gearbox . The most famous model of all was the CGS "Grand Sport" of 1924; this featured a 1074 cc sv engine and four-wheel brakes. This in turn evolved into
918-756: The Monte Carlo Rally driving a Delahaye. Delahaye also ran first and second at Le Mans . Against the German government-sponsored juggernauts Mercedes-Benz and Auto Union , Delahaye entered the Type 145 , powered by a complicated 4 + 1 ⁄ 2 -litre V12 . Called the "Million Franc Delahaye" after a victory in the Million Franc Race , the initial Type 145 was driven by René Dreyfus to an average speed 91.07 mph (146.56 km/h) over 200 km (120 mi) at Montlhéry in 1937, earning
972-608: The Peugeot 402 and the Citroën Traction . Henry Mann Ainsworth, the Automobile Director at Hotchkiss, had already been presented, by the high-profile engineer Jean-Albert Grégoire , with a promising prototype (at that stage based on an Adler chassis) for a lightweight 7CV category, small, technically advanced family car. It was agreed that the automotive businesses of Hotchkiss and Amilcar would be merged and
1026-490: The Place de la République to the northwest, the Place de la Bastille to the southwest, as well as the Place de la Nation to the southeast. The 11th arrondissement is a varied and engaging area. To the west lies the Place de la République , which is linked to the Place de la Bastille , in the east, by the sweeping, tree-lined Boulevard Richard-Lenoir , with its large markets and children's parks. The Place de la Bastille and
1080-505: The Rue du Faubourg Saint-Antoine are full of fashionable cafés, restaurants, as well as nightlife; they also contain a range of boutiques and galleries. The Oberkampf district to the north is another popular area for nightlife. The east is more residential, with more wholesale commerce, while the areas around Boulevard Voltaire and Avenue Parmentier are livelier crossroads for the local community. In recent years this area has emerged as one of
1134-563: The French army. The French government had ordered all private automobile production to cease in June 1939, but small numbers of cars continued to be built for the occupying German forces until at least 1942. In 1951, a French military team with Captain Monnier and Colonel Henri Debrus were part of the victorious crew that won the first Algiers-Cape Town Rally with a Delahaye pick-up. After World War II , French luxury car makers struggled under
SECTION 20
#17328013950121188-528: The French government. By 1904, about 850 automobiles had been built. The company introduced its first production four-cylinder in 1903 and shaft-drive transmissions in 1907. Delahaye's chief design-engineer Amédée Varlet invented and pioneered the V6 engine in the 1911 Type 44 . Varlet also designed the Delahaye Titan marine engine, an enormous cast-iron multi-valve twin-cam four-cylinder engine that
1242-646: The Type 135) in the Ulster TT, placing second to Bugatti , and entered four at the Belgian 24 Hours, finishing 2-3-4-5 behind an Alfa Romeo . Delahaye was able to leverage their racing success to acquire automaker Delage in 1935. American heiress Lucy O'Reilly Schell paid the developmental costs for short "Competition Court" 2.70-metre-wheelbase Type 135 cars for rallying and racing. She purchased 12 of these, reserving half for her Ecurie Bleue amateur racing team. In 1937, René Le Bègue and Julio Quinlin won
1296-506: The Type 135, fitted with hydraulic instead of mechanical brakes, and a triple Solex carbureted version of the 3.6-litre Type 135 engine, which produced 152 hp (113 kW; 154 PS). This power was roughly equal to that of the previous series. Only 84 examples of the Type 235 were built. Delahaye's competitor, Hotchkiss , negotiated a licensing agreement with Kaiser-Willys Motors , and obtained sanction to manufacture its Willys MB 'Jeep' in France. The French army began to appreciate
1350-435: The arrondissement remains the most densely populated in Paris, accompanied by a large volume of business activity: 149,102 inhabitants and 71,962 jobs in the last census, in 1999. The population consists of a large number of single adults, though its eastern portions are more family-oriented. There is a strong community spirit in most areas of the eleventh, and it is interspersed with pleasant squares and parks. An immigrant
1404-414: The company for their entire working career. Weiffenbach became the operations manager in 1906, while Varlet focused on technical engineering and manufacturing advances. In 1932, 42-year-old Jean François was hired as chief design-engineer. Amadee Varlet was over eighty by then, and past his creative prime, but his earned respect caused him to be promoted to head up the new drawing office, and set up and manage
1458-434: The company kept no records of these events. The affair could not be effectively contained and resulted in disinterest among prospective buyers. The Type 175, 178 and 180 models were unable to generate enough sales to recover development and production costs. Their production was discontinued in mid-1951. Until early 1951, continuing demand from the French army for the company's light reconnaissance vehicles (VLR) enabled
1512-491: The company to operate. Small but steady demand for the Type 163 [ de ] trucks allowed the business to remain solvent. A one-ton capacity light truck (later sharing its 3.5-litre six-cylinder overhead-valve engine with the company's Type 235 luxury cars) made its debut at the 1949 Paris Motor Show as the Type 171 . During the next twelve months the Type 171 spawned several brake-bodied versions, including ambulance and 9-seater "familiale" variants. The vehicle
1566-448: The company's designer and chief engineer. Delahaye had escaped near disaster, to arise with virtually immediate success, in the new Type 134, followed almost immediately by the International speed record setting Type 138, and then the model that made Delahaye deservedly famous: the Type 135. In 1934, Delahaye set eighteen class records at Montlhéry, in a specially-prepared, stripped and streamlined 18 Sport. The company also introduced
1620-413: The company. The early 1930s were years of economic crisis in France, and at the end of 1933 a company owned by Briès and Sée, called "Sofia" (Societe financiere pour l'automobile) , took effective control of Amilcar, which nevertheless continued to function under its existing name. From 1928 the company offered a light touring car ; called the "M-Type" , it featured a side-valve 1200 cc engine and
1674-611: The depressed economy. General Pons's five-year reconstruction program (the Pons Plan) allocated the majority of its vehicles for export, and installed an increasingly punitive tax regime aimed at luxurious non-essential products, including cars with engines larger than two litres (120 cu in). In 1947, 88% of Delahaye production was exported, primarily to French colonies in Asia and Africa. Delahaye's meagre production of 573 cars in 1948 (compared to 34,164 by market-leader Citroën ),
Amilcar - Misplaced Pages Continue
1728-593: The large Brandt manufacturing organization, within months, with automotive products ended. Delahaye closed forever at the end of 1954, taking Delage along with it. Engineer Émile Delahaye began experimenting with belt-driven cars in 1894, while he was manager of the Brethon Foundry and Machine-works in Tours, France. These experiments encouraged him to acquire the foundry and machine-works, so that Monsieur Brethon could retire. Emile soon entered his automobiles in
1782-414: The last time, on December 31, 1954. Emile Delahaye, a successful Tours foundry and machine-works owner, built his first car in 1894. By 1898, the demand required that he expand facilities and obtain investment capital. Emile Delahaye agreed to partner equally with coppersmith business owners and brothers-in-law, Leon Desmarais and George Morane. The arrangement was duly incorporated in 1898, and car assembly
1836-480: The later 1920s the company expanded out of its original comfort zone of small economical cars: the results were mixed. The founders, Akar and Lamy, becoming less involved with the management of the business, were persuaded to conclude, in 1931, a business agreement with André Briès and Marcel Sée. Sée already knew Amilcar from the inside, having in January 1929 been dismissed from a position involved in management of
1890-800: The more sporty CGSS "Grand Sport Surbaissé". These models were built under license in Germany (as the Pluto [ de ] ) and in Austria (as the Grofri ) and in Italy (as Amilcar Italiana ). The marque entered automobile racing in the mid-1920s with a batch of supercharged double overhead camshaft 1100 cc six-cylinder cars that used a roller bearing crankshaft in the full racing version; these vehicles were also available with plain metal bearings, driven by famous race driver André Morel . During
1944-484: The new racing department, assisted by much younger engineer Jean François. Pierre Peigney, a family relative, was the president, but his was more a formal role, since it was Charles Weiffenbach who had been mandated by the partners to run the company, literally single-handedly. This he did, including after orchestrating the merger in 1954 with Hotchkiss, a prime competitor. President Peigney signed for Delahaye, and president Richard signed for Hotchkiss. Neither company had
1998-561: The prototype would be developed into an Amilcar model that would become the Amilcar Compound . The front-wheel-drive Amilcar Compound was technically advanced in design for its era, featuring a monocoque frame made of a light alloy and independent suspension all around. Its engine at launch was a four-cylinder side-valve unit of 1185 cc. The Compound's ambitious use of aluminium in its body structure and its front-wheel-drive configuration meant that production got off to
2052-462: The simpler machine, available at a much lower price, and cancelled the contract for the more sophisticated Delahaye VLR. In August 1953, the company laid off more than 200 employees. A merger was discussed with Hotchkiss, which was facing similar problems. On 19 March 1954, an agreement was signed by Delahaye president Pierre Peigney and Hotchkiss president Paul Richard . Less than three months later, on 9 June, Delahaye shareholders accepted
2106-401: The traditional American-built Jeep of the period. During 1953, the company built 1,847 VLRs, as well as 537 "special" military vehicles. In that year no more than 36 Delahaye or Delage-branded passenger cars were registered. In 1953, the Type 235 was introduced. Fernand Lecour, working with a small group of enthusiastic factory employees, convinced Weiffenbach to introduce an updated version of
2160-520: The trendiest parts of Paris. On 13 November 2015, the arrondissement was the site (among others) of coordinated Islamic shootings and bombings , particularly at the Bataclan theatre, which left 130 dead. About 20 years earlier, another attack had taken place. The land area of this arrondissement is 3.666 km (1.415 sq mi; 906 acres). The peak population of Paris's 11th arrondissement occurred in 1911, with 242,295 inhabitants. Today,
2214-400: The war, Delahaye's major income was from manufacturing trucks. Following the war, Delahaye attempted, in 1927, to increase profits by adopting a modest form of assembly-line production, in a tripartite agreement with FAR Tractor Company and Chenard & Walcker automakers, and Rosengart, an entry-level manufacturer of small family cars. However, the range of vehicles undertaken to produce
Amilcar - Misplaced Pages Continue
2268-453: Was a combination of belt and chain, with three forward speeds and one reverse. Desmarais and Morane took control of the company when Émile Delahaye retired in 1901; Weiffenbach took over from them in 1906. The company ceased its participation in racing after Delahaye's death in 1905. Weiffenbach had no interest in racing, and focused on production of practical motorized automotive chassis, heavy commercial vehicles , and early firetrucks for
2322-589: Was a small cyclecar . Designed by Jules Salomon [ fr ] and Edmond Moyet , it bore a striking resemblance to the pre-war Le Zèbre . The vehicle was first exhibited at the Paris Motor Show in October 1921. The business was a leading beneficiary of a cyclecar boom, prompted by a government initiative which held out the promise of a reduced rate of annual car tax, fixed at 100 francs per year, for powered vehicles weighing no more than 350 kg (dry weight, without fuel or water or such extras as
2376-457: Was composed of the shareholders, plus their appointed manager of operations, Charles Weiffenbach, as chief executive officer. Emile Delahaye had been the company's president, its sole engineer, and the administrator, until his retirement in 1901. In 1898, Delahaye hired Charles Weiffenbach as his managerial assistant; and, Amédée Varlet as the design-engineer. Both men were qualified mechanical engineers, with differing talents, and both stayed with
2430-400: Was delayed until 1948 due to the war, post-war shortages, and the death of its designer. With a license agreement in place and no viable alternatives, Delahaye proceeded with production of the Type 175. However, suspension components underwent catastrophic failure, and Delahaye was obliged to buy back a number of its vehicles to avoid litigation. The risk of negative publicity was so great that
2484-480: Was excessively extensive, too diverse, and totally devoid of practical standardization. The collaboration did not last long as shrinking sales volume threatened the company's survival. By 1931, the triumverate had disintegrated. It has been alleged that Weiffenbach met with his friend and competitor Ettore Bugatti , to seek his opinion on turning Delahaye around. In 1932, Desmarais's widow and majority shareholder, Madame Leon Desmarais, instructed Weiffenbach to develop
2538-524: Was fitted into purpose-built speedboat La Dubonnet , which briefly held the world speed record on water . German manufacturer Protos began licensed production of Delahaye models in 1907, while in 1909, H. M. Hobson began importing Delahaye vehicles to Britain. US manufacturer White pirated the Delahaye design; the First World War interrupted efforts to recover damages. By the end of
2592-417: Was intended for use in France's African colonies, having large wheels and high ground clearance, and was also exported to Brazil. By 1952, thirty Type 171s were produced per month. Delahaye's last entirely new model, a 2-litre Jeep-like vehicle known as Delahaye VLR (Véhicule Léger de Reconnaissance Delahaye) was released in 1951. The French army believed that this vehicle offered a number of advantages over
2646-501: Was launched in 1928. It was followed by the M2, M3, and M4 versions. The M-type and its successors continued to be produced through the ensuing years of financial difficulty, offered for sale till 1935, though production probably ended in 1934. 1928 saw the introduction of a straight eight, which was built with an ohc 2.3-liter engine. This, the C8, proved unreliable, and soon disappeared with only
2700-421: Was moved to Paris following incorporation in 1898 with two marriage-related brothers-in-law, George Morane and Leon Desmarais, as Emile Delahaye's equal partners. The company built a low volume line of limited production luxury cars with coachbuilt bodies; trucks; utility and commercial vehicles; buses; and fire-trucks. Delahaye made a number of technical innovations, particular in its early years. After establishing
2754-483: Was moved to the vacant Paris factory owned by the incoming partners. When Delahaye retired in 1901, from failing health, he sold his shares to his partners, with Desmarais purchasing more, thus gaining a majority. As the Desmarais and Morane families were connected by marriage, Delahaye was a family-owned business, from 1901 until its takeover by Hotchkiss in 1954. Delahaye was the minority partner. The board of directors
SECTION 50
#17328013950122808-550: Was scheduled for an October launch at the 1939 Paris Motor Show, but the motor show was cancelled and the launch was postponed – as matters turned out indefinitely – due to the intervention of war which France (and Britain) declared against Germany in early September 1939. Production of the Amilcar was not resumed after World War II . Isadora Duncan 's fondness for flowing scarves was the cause of her death in 1927 in an automobile accident in Nice, France . The famed American dancer
2862-408: Was the passenger in an Amilcar CGSS when her silk scarf became entangled around the open-spoked wheels and rear axle, breaking her neck. [REDACTED] Media related to Amilcar at Wikimedia Commons 11th arrondissement of Paris The 11th arrondissement of Paris ( XI arrondissement ) is one of the 20 arrondissements of the capital city of France . In spoken French, the arrondissement
2916-410: Was unsustainably low. The new face of the postwar Delahaye was styled in-house by industrial designer Philippe Charbonneaux . Production of the outdated pre-war Type 135 and 148L was resumed in 1946, to restart cash flow and because the Type 175 and its two longer-wheelbased versions were not ready for introduction. The Type 175 was very modern when it had been envisioned in 1938 but its production
#11988